With reference to your telegraphic inquiry of
September 3, 1920,[1] I would like to inform you that the
attacks on Bolshevism on the part of the German
Independents’ Right wing, by people like Dittmann, for
instance, do not surprise me. In my speech at the Comintern
Congress in Moscow, I showed that Crispien’s ideas are quite
Kautskian. Kautskians like Crispien and Dittmann are, of course,
dissatisfied with Bolshevism. It would be deplorable if such
people were satisfied with us. It is quite natural that, in the
decisive struggle between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie,
petty-bourgeois democrats like Dittmann, who is very similar to
our Mensheviks, are often to be found on the side of the
bourgeoisie. Dittmann is Indignant at the shootings, but it is
natural that, in such cases, Mensheviks are shot at by
revolutionary workers, which cannot be altogether to
Dittmann’s liking. The Third, Communist International would
not be worth much if it admitted into its ranks Dittmanns of the
German, French or any other variety.

If, however, you consider that the reports by the French, the
German and the British workers’ delegations have done more
harm to Bolshevism than the entire antiBolshevik propaganda has
done, I willingly accept the conclusion that logically
follows.

Let the two of us reach an understanding-you on behalf of the
anti-Bolshevik bourgeoisie of all countries, and I on behalf of
the Russian Soviet Republic. Accordingly, let delegations
consisting of workers and small peasants (i.e., of working people,
those whose labour creates profit on capital) be sent to Russia
from all countries, each delegation to stay here for about two
months. If these delegations’ reports are useful to the
cause of anti-Bolshevik propaganda, the entire cost of their visit
shall be borne by the international bourgeoisie. However, as the
bourgeoisie is very weak and poor in all countries in the world,
while we in Russia are rich and strong, I agree to secure the
consent of the Soviet Government to defray three-quarters of the
expenses, a more quarter to be borne by the millionaires of all
lands.

I hope that you, who in your telegram call yourself an honest
journalist, will not refuse always and everywhere to publicise
this understanding between the Soviet Republic and the
international bourgeoisie—of course, in the interests of
anti-Bolshevik propaganda.

Lenin

September 8, 1920

Endnotes

[1]
The radio message of the correspondent of the London Daily
News Mr. Segrue was published in Pravda No. 202,
September 12, 1920, along with Lenin’s reply. In his
message, Segrue pointed out that some socialists who had visited
Soviet Russia had published anti-Soviet articles, and asked Lenin
to comment on this.